


Janus & Balthazar AU Collection

by fightmecorypheus (alex_archer)



Series: Janus and Balthazar [2]
Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2015-04-27
Packaged: 2018-03-26 00:49:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3830998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alex_archer/pseuds/fightmecorypheus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection for the writings I do in an AU for Janus and Balthazar<br/>Balthazar belongs to my friend (thetrashhero.tumblr.com)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [a trash hero (austinachievers)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=a+trash+hero+%28austinachievers%29).



“Dorian! I need a shield,” Janus lifted her lofty hammer to block a strike from the shade she was fighting. “NOW, DORIAN!” Pushing the shade back, she took a moment to regain her stance. She felt power course through her as the mage covered her in a shield. Janus smiled and allowed her rage to surge through her, parrying and landing blows in a frenzy that was not to be expected from an elf her size wielding a hammer this large. Janus allowed her energy to drain through her attacks, using her abilities to throw off the shade.

Janus lifted her hammer, feeling an increase in stamina and silently promises to hug Dorian later whether he liked it or not, and she brought it down on the shade. The shade’s eccense obliterated beneath her cleaver, morphing into green shards which were drawn back into the Fade Rift looming above the party.

“Yes! Way to go, boss!” Iron Bull’s deep voice vibrated across the field. Janus stole a glance and saw the Qunari stun multiple enemies with a shout before swirling in a deadly circle to slice through their torsos in one fell swoop. Turning on his heel with unexpected grace for his size, he faced a demon stunned by an unnecessary amount of arrows emerging from his head and backside. “Oh, that is not fair,” he moaned in disappointment. As though to prove a point, he brought his axe across the demon, shattering him into green remnants.

“Who said I play fair? They’re wrong. Playing fair’s not much fun,” Sera laughed, sliding her bow back onto her back. She traipsed over to the spot where the demon fell and began to collect her arrows. “What’s not fair is you killing all those blighters way too fast. I didn’t even get a chance to use my bees,” Sera’s voice was laden with a humorous sadness that was unique to her and her love for her bees.

“Well I guess the boss is just going to have to take us to fight something badder. I suggest nothing less than a dragon,” Iron Bull’s mouth curved into a smile.

“Bees won’t do much against a dragon, though will they? Dragon’s got skin thicker than your-” Sera was cut off abruptly by Dorian’s magic surging through her. The green shimmer of a healing spell went up her body.

“Thicker than my what, elf? If it’s what I think you’re talking about, nothing’s thicker, I can assure you,” Iron Bull’s cocky smile made Janus laugh.

“I am sure she was referring to your horns, my friend. Might I suggest not facing a dragon whilst you have a necromancer working as your healer? Things might not go quite as well as expected, though I can always bring you back once you die horribly in a hail of fire,” Dorian slung his staff back into its hold and began tightening the straps which had become loose during the fight. “On another note, I am also going to point out that there is still a Fade Rift open above our heads that might drop even more ghastly creatures on us while we chit chat,” Dorian turned towards Janus. Iron Bull and Sera both came closer, their smiles fading into a solemn expression.

“Does anyone else hear that?” Janus asked, her confusing contorting her expression.

The other three party members all stepped closer to the Rift, closer than most of them would have liked. Coming from the rift was a chorus of uninteligble whispers. The distinct sound of metal against metal could be heard. It sounded as if there was a muffled battle happening just on the other side of the Rift, but there was no such thing.

“Perhaps the connection to the Fade is thicker here?” Dorian suggested, ignoring Sera’s giggles when he said thicker.

“Maybe what we’re listening to is some other epic battle that the Inquisition is waging near another rift?” Iron Bull suggested.

“I think it’s a memory. It feels different, this Rift,” Janus stepped even closer to the Rift, the green light swirling around her. “I think it’s the imprint of something that happened… somewhere…” She reached up with her marked hand and swirled in the energy of the Rift.

“Should you get that close, though? Won’t it suck you in?” Sera’s spoke with concern for the Inquisitor.

“You’re right. I should close it,” Snapped out of her reverie, Janus backed away from the Rift. Lifting her hand, she funneled the energy up through her and into the center of the Rift.


	2. Chapter 2

“I don’t like fighting demons,” The small voice of Cole should have been washed away in the midst of battle, but all members of the party could hear as though he were speaking right next to them. “The demons don’t think.” Cole landed a double blow on a demon, obliterating it into pure energy. “I don’t like not knowing what things think.” He faded into nothing and reappeared next to another demon, striking a few more times. “It unnerves me.”

“There’s a lot that’s unnerving here, kid,” Varric shouted over the whirring of Bianca. As he spoke, dozens of bolts exploded from his crossbow's arrow track. The hailfire landed amongst the demons and exploded around them.

“Varric, please try to not light me on fire,” Cassandra jumped back from the inferno.

“Sorry, Seeker,” Varric laughed, his enjoyment of this situation was another thing to add to the list of unnerving things. Seeing this interactment, Balthazar threw out a barrier around Cassandra, just before a blast of green energy nearly took her off her feet. Yelling, Cassandra crouched behind her shield and ran at the demon that attacked her. Turning, Balthazar saw that Cole had been surrounded by demons, and Varric was dealing with Bianca.

Balthazar summoned his mana and sent it out in the form of fire at the demons attacking Cole. The flames rained down from the sky, and Balthazar spun to check on Varric. Balthazar saw a demon rushing towards the dwarf, so he encased the Fade monster in ice. Noticing this, Varric shot a bolt at the demon and it shattered.

“Thanks, Cuddles,” Varric acknowledged the Inquisitor’s save.

“Why am I ‘Cuddles’?” Balthazar groaned.

“Because you’re the cutest ball of anger I know,” Varric smiled and turned his attention back to Cole. Both the dwarf and Balthazar began to assist the young rogue. Varric began to scatter traps amongst the demons. Balthazar covered Cole in a shield just as the boy faded into nothing. Cassandra came running it, her shield colliding with a demon to stun it. Balthazar sent out a spirit bolt for a combo with the Seeker. Cassandra ran through the green light that was once the demon and began hacking at the other demons.

Balthazar began to concentrate on barriers and healing again, focusing on Cassandra, as she was taking most of the hits. He could see her shield arm shaking from all the absorbed force, and he imbued her with his energy, strengthening her. With a smile, Cassandra used the newfound stamina to eradicate the remaining demons.

“You need to close the rift!” She shouted, landing the final blow of the battle. Balthazar took the advice and walked closer to the green breach. He held up his mark, ready to let the familiar Fade energy course through his arm and out his hand.

Does anyone else hear that? A soft voice trickled out and into Balthazar’s ears

“Can any of you hear this?” Balthazar turned to search the blank expressions of his party members and then turned to face the rift.

“Hear what?” Cassandra asked, stepping closer to the Inquisitor, “I hear a hum and faint voices, that’s normal for the Rifts we’ve faced.”

“This rift’s energy feels different. It feels like I’ve been here before,” Balthazar’s forehead stung and a sharp pain shot through his head.

“We have closed dozens of rifts, Cuddles,” Balthazar close his eyes, searching for an answer to what he could be experiencing.

“But this is…” Balthazar rubbed his temples, “I don’t know what this is.”

“We must seal it,” Cole’s voice cut through Balthazar’s mind, clearing the fuzziness.

“Of course,” Balthazar said, his voice regaining its strength. He raised his hand once more and allowed the anchor to work as it does.


	3. Chapter 3

Balthazar felt the breach close and the entire party looked away as the light exploded, severing the link to the Fade. Balthazar heard the metallic sound of a sword being drawn and he spun around to see Cassandra holding her sword to the throat of what looked to be an elven warrior. Quickly taking in the scene, Balthazar’s eyes traveled from familiar face to familiar face; Sera, Iron Bull, and- Dorian. Balthazar’s stomach dropped, his heart raced. How could he be alive? I watched him die. Theories ran through Balthazar’s mind.

“Cassandra?” When the elf spoke, the Seeker moved forward, touching the point of her blade to the elf’s skin.

Balthazar lurched forward, “Cassandra, wait!”

“We don’t know who -or what- these people are,” Cassandra spoke with an accusative tone. “They could be demons fallen from the Fade.”

“If we were demons, we would’ve attacked by now,” the elf’s voice was firm, but it had a lightness to it that Balthazar thought he knew. Indeed, this elf did look familiar.

“Well, then. You know my name, and I know the names of your party members. What is your name and who are you?” Cassandra questioned. The elf moved the Seeker’s blade away from her with her finger. She slowly stood and looked up to meet Cassandra’s eyes.

“I am Janus Lavellan, Herald of Andraste and Inquisitor to the Inquisition,” she spoke with such authority that if Cassandra didn’t know differently, she would have believed her.

“It can’t be…” Balthazar stepped towards them, pushing past Cassandra, who tried to stop him. Janus looked up at the man before her, her eyes flickering about his features.

“I know you?” Janus questioned, her eyebrow raising.

“You were killed, at the Conclave,” Balthazar was stunned, finding it hard to grasp the right words. “They read your name at Haven. How can this be?”

“What do you mean?” Janus looked at Dorian for a moment, searching for an answer, before facing Balthazar again.

“You wouldn’t recognize me. Janus, it’s Balthazar,” at this, the elf’s eyes widened and her mouth parted. She stepped forward and Balthazar took a step back. A smile crept up onto his face, he watched as her face began to mirror his own. That’s when he saw them, the light scars that decorated her face. They were barely noticeable in passing, thanks to her Dalish tattoos. A deep sadness crossed over Balthazar. How many things did he miss? He mourned the loss of his sister, but did he even know her? What must she think of him? What would she think if she found out about his Tranquility?

Nearly the same thing was going through Janus’ mind. This was the brother she hadn’t seen or talked to for nearly fifteen years. All she could remember was a little boy who jumped at the littlest of things. The man standing before her was hardened. His face was sunken and his eyes were dim.

Together, Janus and Balthazars’ smiles faded. They began to take in more of the other than just their face. Janus noticed Balthazar was broad for a mage. His shoulders were tense and he gripped his staff with a stance ready for a fight. Light scars marked his knuckles, evidence of fighting. A smirk threatened to burst through her frown.

Balthazar saw Janus as the small elf he caused trouble with as a child. Always the instigator, Janus tried to make herself seem larger than she was. He saw her as the light little girl who scampered up trees to jump from the branches and scare him.

“Inquisitor,” Cassandra broke their concentration when she spoke, and both Balthazar and Janus turned to face her. Realizing her mistake, Cassandra spoke again, “Pardon me. Balthazar, who is this?”

“This is my sist- my half-sister,” he answered, receiving an expression of shock from each member in both parties.

“How can this be? You never mentioned a sister? She was at the Conclave?” Janus saw her brother’s reluctance to share. She noticed his gaze flickering between Cassandra, herself, and Dorian.

Janus stepped forward and spoke for him, “I’m sure there are a great amount of questions you would like answered, and us as well. If we head back to camp, we can talk in safety. For now, we should probably address the looming ball of doom above us.”

“The Inquisitor is correct,” Dorian stepped forward, being the first from Janus’ party to interject. “We should deal with the Rift and then hash out our grey areas over a warm meal and, perhaps, a drink.”

“I’m not so sure we should close it. This Rift feels different than the others. We should keep it open incase we have need of it later,” Balthazar spoke, ending the discussion. He looked over at Janus, who nodded in affirmation.

“Very well. I will write for a patrol to guard the Rift,” Cassandra declared.


End file.
